Government funding not enough
The announcement that Prime Minister Theresa May is dedicating £106m to the research and development of new battery and hydrogen technology has received a mixed reception, with some welcoming the funding but saying it’s not enough.
Matt Lewis of Fixter said, ‘Any extra money going towards the development of low and zero-emission vehicles is incredibly important and should be applauded by everyone up and down the country, but to be honest we still don’t think it’s enough. £106 million certainly sounds like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things it really isn’t, especially when you consider how damaging emissions are to our environment.
‘More needs to be done, not just financially but also to alter the public’s attitude towards these low and zero emission cars. There needs to be more incentives for motorists who are on the fence about switching their car to electric. Last year it was reported that just 45,500 pure electric cars were on the roads; a dangerously low number when you consider that we could start getting fined for the emissions that our cars give off.
‘The Prime Minister not only needs to dedicate money to the cause and look at getting foreign investors interested in the matter, but also needs to think of inventive ways to get the public wanting these eco-friendly cars, and raise awareness that they’re much cheaper to run without affecting speed or user experience.’
